Thermometer unit for electric irons



Oct. 27, 1942. F. KUHN ETAL 2,300,230

THERMOMETER UNIT FOR ELECTRIC IRONS Filed June 16, 1941 INVENTORS BYFRANK KUHN LAURENCE H. THOMAS ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 27, 1942THERMOMETER UNIT FOR ELECTRIC IRONS Frank Kuhn, Detroit, and Laurence H.Thomas, Birmingham, Mich., assignors to American Electrical HeaterCompany, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 16,1941, Serial No. 398,352

1 Claim.

The invention relates to electric laundry irons of the type in which thesol plate is heated by an electric heating unit clamped to the upper facthereof and is covered by a hood to which th operating handle isattached. Such irons are generally provided with heat control meansincluding an automatic thermostatic switch which cuts off the heat at apredetermined temperature. It is, however, desirable to accuratelyindicate the temperature of the sole plate while the iron is inoperation, and for this purpose a thermometer may be provided.

It is an object of the instant invention to obtain a construction ofthermometer unit which may be easily engaged with or disengaged from theiron without disassembly of other parts thereof.

It is a further object to obtain a unit in which the temperaturemeasured is that of the sole plate adjacent to its working surface andin which the indicator is at the outer surfac of the hood.

Still further, it is an object to obtain a construction in which thisthermometer unit may conveniently be placed within the space beneath thehandle and between the supporting posts thereof.

With these objects in View, the invention consists in the constructionas hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of an electric laundry iron with a partbroken away and parts in section showing our improved thermometer unitin engagement therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the unit detached;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

As illustrated, the electric iron is provided with a sole plate A havingan electrical heating unit B in contact with its upper surfac andsecured by a clamping plate C. D is the hood for covering the soleplate, and E is th handle secured to this hood. As shown, the hood D hasa deck F covering a portion of its upper surface and forming a heatinsulating air space between the hood and the handle E. The thermostaticswitch for controlling the heating unit is not illustrated, but this isusually arranged within the hood in the space above the clamping plate Cand forward of the longitudinal center of the iron. An indicator dial Gfor this thermostatic switch may be placed at the forward end of thedeck F in rear of and adjacent to the forward post of the handle. Thisleaves an unoccupied space between the dial and the rear post of thehandle, which we utilize for the placement of the thermometer.

The thermometer unit comprises a dial member H which is adapted forinsertion in an aperture in the deck F, being provided with a peripheralflange H, for engaging the periphery of said aperture, and a radiallyoutwardly projecting flange H for resting on the deck. The dial hassuitable indications on its upper face and is preferably covered by atransparent panel I, which is secured to the flange H by an annularframe I and inbent ears I J is a bracket arm secured to the under faceof the dial and depending therefrom and extending into a reces K formedin the sole plate. At the lower end of the bracket arm J is a laterallyextending circular flange L beneath which is arranged a spiralthermostatic strip M. The outer end of the spiral is attached to an earN depending from the flange L, while the inner end of the spiral isattached to a shaft 0 passing upward through the flange L an dial H. Pis an index hand in the space between the dial and the transparent panelI and which is secured to the upper end of the shaft 0. For holding theunit in position, a resilient clip Q is attached to the underside of thedial, thi being adapted to pass through an aperture R in the hood and toform a snap engagement with the periphery thereof. When in position withthe flange H resting on the deck, the flange L and spiral thermostaticstrip will be held within the recess K, but free from contact with thewalls thereof. Thus, the temperature of the sole plate will beaccurately indicated by the position Of the hand P in relation to theindications on the dial.

What we claim as our invention is:

The combination with a laundry iron having an electrically heated soleplate and a hood covering the same, said hood being provided with a deckportion spaced above the same to form an intervening air chamber, of athermometer unit comprising a dial plate arranged within an aperture insaid deck, a bracket arm depending from said dial plate passing throughan apertur in said hood and having its lower end positioned within arecess in said sole plate, a spiral thermostatic bar mounted on thelower end of said bracket arm, a shaft operatively connected with saidspiral thermostatic bar extending upward through said dial plate, anindex hand mounted on said shaft above said dial plate, and a clip on thlower side of said dial plate extending through said aperture in thehood and forming a snap locking engagement with the periphery of thelatter.

FRANK KUHN. LAURENCE H. THOMAS.

